The Other Side of Nirn

by Jacensolo43

Rating: teen
Tags: Human, Adventure, Crossover
Length: 17277

The Heroes of Tamriel who faced the Oblivion Crisis, personal pasts, and The Rise of Darkness, are sent out to investigate magical surges. What they find is not what they expect.

The Heroes of Tamriel who faced the Oblivion Crisis, personal pasts, and The War of Darkness, are sent out to investigate magical surges. What they find is not what they expect.

The Mane 6 have just dealt with Discord and a strange group of traveling performers come to Ponyville. A mare who can outcompete many in strategy games, a mare who is accurate and precise in any ranged weapon, a stallion who can cast several near impossible spells, a colt with unnatural abilities, and many more.

However, while they all enjoy this, the world is never kind nor patient. Nor are some who inhabit it. In the darkest parts of the world, Darkness seeks in many forms, some who conquer , and some who manipulate. What happens when the instigator of the War of Darkness escapes? And will the heroes of both lands be enough to defeat it?

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2012-07-23 01:15:22 UTC

Chapter 1

This is my second and I started this long before I ever read a fanfic. I sincerely hope any reading this enjoy it. If you have any problems pronouncing names, or want a better descript just let me know and I will try my best.

Chapter 1: Setting Off For Adventure

They  were told that they needed to take an expedition. Now officially, it was to expand the empire. Unofficially however, they had to investigate a mysteriously long amount of night time that occurred during Jerall’s Ice, a cold battle up in the Jeralls that lasted hours of night. Now, it wasn’t like a half hour or a full hour, it was literally almost a full day. Now, that should be a fair enough summary, so now read the actual story. Thank you.

“Come on guys, today’s the day we go explore!” shouted Dylan, excitement in his green and red eyes. Dylan was an eleven year old child of a vampire and a werewolf, which resulted in what he refers to as ‘gifts’. He was a great fighter, fierce, and kind, depending on how he sees you.

“You're in too much of a hurry Dylan. We’ll need food and supplies before we go. Besides, it could already be inhabited,” said Bonde, the main leader of the group. She was a great warrior, and I mean a difference when I say  barbarian and warrior, and a warrior is better. She was an amazing strategist, was in her thirties, and was a great friend of Dylan’s parents. She had brown eyes, blond messy hair, and a dirty face.

“Don’t forget, the University’s been feeling strange magic coming from there, not to mention strange lights,” reminded Sadie, whom, like his brothers, Naranel and Jordan, was an Argonian. He was an amazing mage who had defeated Jygalagg, Umaril, and with help, Mehrunes Dagon. He was bright blue skinned (or scaled), and had created many spells, mostly in Alteration, which he had a unique talent for.

“Exactly, we have no idea what we’ll run into, whether it be rouge mages or some new creature,” said Dylan, a little more excited. But Bonde noticed something in his eyes, a look that reminded her of when he would be ready to leave to an island or something. His parents never told her where they went at those times.

“We still need to wait for everyone else,” said Yuna, a young healer who was extremely gifted in the restoration arts, better than many others in fact. She was a blue-eyed, brown haired Imperial. “Remove me from the list because I’m here.”

“Well, now all we need to wait on are Lulu with the beds and Auron with the rest of the supplies,” said Dylan.

“Don’t forget about-”

“Naranel and Rikku are already here,” said Sadie.

“So what did they bring?” asked Yuna.

“I brought a currency, and Naranel brought his solemn oath that he won’t try to kill anyone,” answered Rikku, who had just woke from her beauty sleep. Rikku was an Imperial, blonde, and had the most unique eyes, a swirl of blue and green. Don’t let her ways fool you though, she was able to disappear from sight in the blink of an eye, and could very easily lead you astray. She was the greatest thief in Tamriel and was quick as well as light on her feet.

“Meaning that we don’t have to worry about any killings, but we still have to worry about thieves,” said Dylan as he raised his brow to Rikku.

“You want me to swear an oath too? I swear by the avatar of Akatosh that I will not steal during the voyage, how’s that?”

“Fair enough,” Sadie said before Dylan could say anything, “When do you think the others will get here?” asked Sadie.

“How’s right now?” asked Auron. He was another warrior, although the main difference between him and Bonde was their choice of weapons. They would use any of course, but had a preference. Auron preferred two-handed swords as Bonde’s choice of weapon was a mace. They often discussed the ups and downs of the weapons and have been practicing at using multiple weapons at once with each other.

“Sorry about taking so long,” said Lulu, “we ran into a few bandits who, shall we say, took a cold swim.” Lulu was a Dark Elf, and a great mind when it came to destruction magic. She specifically preferred fire though.

“Well now that everyone’s here, let’s get going. We were supposed to be gone ten minutes ago,” said Dylan, who, again, attracted unknown attention from Bonde.

“Sorry, that’s all we can say,” said Auron.

“Well how about we get on the ship, take our seats, and we’ll be going, sound good?” asked Bonde.

“Fair enough, which, by the way, I’m curious, what is this ‘strange magic’? Most likely it's just necromancy,” said Lu.

“The university would know if it was necromancy, and it isn’t. It’s safer, yet stranger,” said Sadie as they got on the boat.

“Safer but stranger? Do you have any idea how much sense that makes?” asked Dylan. “And besides, who cares about magic when there’s a chance I’ll… I mean we’ll find a new f, I mean creature? I personally care more about Rain then magic,” said Dylan. Many of the others just guessed he was having an argument with Hircy, his werewolf side, but Bonde had noticed his slips, and his last sentence.

“There is a chance the magic used was effecting time, and I know you have always been fascinated by those kinds of spells,” said Yuna. “In fact, that’s what gave off the first shimmer.”

“Obviously you, Sadie and Lu are more attuned to magic then the rest of us, I just assumed it was an eclipse,” said Rikku.

“Let’s just get goin’. I’m eager to see your faces when I prove to you that it’s necromancy,” said Lulu.

“I call the wheel!” shouted Dylan.

“I’ll put the sails up,” said Rikku.

“What about Naranel?” asked Auron.

“He’s in charge of the weapons, how bout you keep an eye on him?” asked Sadie as he put the supplies up.

Suddenly Lulu and Yuna fell, and Sadie stumbled, frightening everyone else. “Are they okay?” asked Dylan, who could not leave the wheel.

“Yeah, I think so,” said Bonde as she helped Lulu and Yuna up.

“Alright, I admit, that is NOT necromancy.”

“Suddenly I’m not so sure about going to the source,” said Bonde as she played all the possible scenarios through her head. “Turn this ship around!” shouted Bonde.

“NO! We need to know what’s causing this!” shouted Yuna.

“I’m not moving this until we come to an agreement,” said Dylan.

“If we don’t find out what this is, then we may still go through this. It’s only logical,” said Sadie.

“We don’t care about logic; we care about your safety!”

“We’re going even if we have to swim!” shouted Lulu from her seat.

Suddenly, the currents picked the boat up and took them further and further from their home. Shortly after Bonde yelled something to Dylan, they all suddenly blacked out from a wave of magic that engulfed them, transformed them, and then everything was black.

When Dylan awoke hours later, he was amazed by many things. First one, he was nowhere near the boat. Second one, he was in Equestria, and had passed the ancient border to reveal his pony side, the side he was born as, so long ago.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Explanation

“Sadie! Rikku! Somepony!” shouted Dylan. He understood what had happened and looked desparetly for his friends, but alas, his search was so far in vain. He had tried everything he could think of, from telepathic messages (which failed due to how long it had been since he was an alicorn), to shouting their names, to manipulating his vision.

“Bonde, Auron, Naranel!” he shouted one more time before losing hope of being anywhere near his friends. He was right not to lose hope just yet, because shortly after he shouted, he heard a familiar voice shouting his name.

“DYLAN!” shouted Bonde’s voice.

Dylan knew if he simply shouted it wouldn’t lead her anywhere, so he started shouting out things that were around him. Soon after Bonde found him she wanted an explanation of why he acted like he did before this had happened. When he had turned around, she was an earthpony, which shocked him only for a few moments.

“You already know. My parents took me here to learn something about this place.”

“Well, do you know where civilization is?” asked Bonde.

“N-n-o,” he answered.

Bonde cursed under her breath when he said that. “Very well,” she said after a few moments, “come on, we made a campsite just to the east of here.”

As Dylan followed her, he saw that the others went through similar transformations, or he at least assumed it was the others. He also noticed that they all had their cutie marks.

“Dylan! Your alive!” shouted Sadie as he ran up to hug Dylan. Sadie was now a bright blue unicorn with a lighter blue mane and tail.

“Yes, I’m alive,” I said as I finely got out of my friend’s grip. Then I saw a theif in the tents trying to take some supplies. “I thought you swore,” I shouted.

Rikku was quickly coming out with a light blush on her face. She was a pegasus with a light blonde coat and a yellow mane and tail. “I thought you were just meaning on the boat.”

“So, do you know why we’re horses?” asked Yuna. Her mane tail and coat were all a different color, but all of them were so light they seemed white, and her cutie mark was a white phoenix, no doubt indicating her skill in healing magics.

“Yes, and we’re ponies not horses,” said Dylan. Of course, the others didn’t see any difference between ponies and horses.

“Well, why?” demanded Naranel, who’s coat was an electric blue with a lighter blue mane and tail, and his eyes were a purple shade. His cutie mark was a sword with lightning arcs going through it.

“A spell placed on this land?” asked Lulu shortly after it suddenly started to rain. The only difference between the rain here and the rain back in Tamriel was that this was chocalate milk, and not water.

‘It wasn’t like this last time’ thought Dylan as he looked towards the eastern horizon. Then he was met with an intriguing happening, the sun suddenly set in the eastern sky. “what the buck? the sun and moon RISE in the east, not set!” Dylan thought aloud.

“Whatevers goin on will hopefully be set right, I don’t want to suddenly deal with THIS!” said Auron.

“Either way, we need to get some rest,” said Lulu.

“Good night,” Dylan said as he, like many other times, manipulated the elements of fire and ice to make a tent for himself.

As peaceful as it was, everyone woke to screams of pain.

I hope ya’ll enjoy this story so far, it’s not easy to do stuff like this at the current time, tests comin up and everything. Anyway, I’ll try my best to bring in good chapters. Like I said, if you have any ideas for this story let me know and I’ll plug ‘em in in any way I can. Love you all! (not in that way)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Off to Civilization

Screams of pain howled from the tents of the mages, and awoke everyone in the camp.

“Lulu, Yuna!” Auron shouted as he trotted to their tents. Dylan and Bonde did likewise for Sadie, who made the loudest screams of pain.

“Magic tremor?” Bonde asked Dylan, due to his light connection to magic.

“I think so,” he answered.

Suddenly, everyone felt something go past them as the pain in the mages subsided.

“What the hay happened?” Rikku asked, hardly noticing what she had said.

“Everything’s back to normal,” said Sadie as he opened his eyes through terrible pain.

“Everything,” asked Bonde, “then why are we still bucking ponies?”

“Barrier, now I’m sure something or someone is here,” Lulu answered as she was helped inside by Auron

“Where?” asked Rikku, sparks of greed in her eyes.

“NO! No stealing, understand?!” shouted Dylan.

“Fine.”

Suddenly Naranel came in. “Someone’s near, should Widow shoot?” he asked. Widow was short for Black Widow, who went by that name because of her past. She was normally a High Elf, but now she was a black coated pegasus, with red stripes in her mane and tail. She was also an amazing archer, perhaps the best in Tamriel.

“No, we need to speak to a native of these lands,” answered Bonde. She ran outside and started shouting. No one saw sense in staying in the tents, so they followed Bonde out and saw who Naranel was talking about, a mare that had a compass as a cutie mark and a hat an explorer would often wear.

As Bonde walked up, the mare turned to her and smiled. “Well, what a surprising sight, somepony else who decided to explore here. My name is Daring Do.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” at this point Bonde thought up a name to go by here in the meantime, “my name is Hard Mace. My friends and I are lost and were hoping you could tell us which way town is?” At this point she was blushing in embarrassment, unable to believe that she was needing to ask for directions.

“Why of course, the closest way to a town is that way,” she said as she pointed to where Dylan remembered adventuring as a filly. His parents often scolded him when they found out he was ‘adventuring’.

“Ok,” Bonde began once Daring was out of ear shot, “We need to think up names before we go. Anyone have any ideas?” she asked.

“Black Shot,” said Widow. She preferred black due to the group of notorious assassins known as the Dark Brotherhood, who was led currently by Jordan, and since he was imprisoned, he was substituted by someone else right now.

“White Phoenix?” asked Yuna.

“Dark Fire,” Lulu said.

“Shock Blade, I always had a thing for electricity.”

“Sadie should probably be known as Kind Heart,” Dylan said.

“NO! I WILL NOT BE KNOWN AS KIND HEART!” Sadie shouted. “In fact, maybe Brave Kindness,” Sadie thought out loud.

“No, this is serious. Obviously the names sum their talent and personalities up,” said Bonde.

“Fire Blade!” shouted Dylan. Sadie stared at Dylan with anger in his eyes, but kept control.

“I think Dylan should be known as Regal Prism,” said Sadie, content with the anger that shone in Dylan’s eyes.

“Why you… I’LL KILL YOU!” shouted Dylan as he chased Sadie.

“I’ll just go with Quickslip,” said Rikku, who earned an approving nod from Bonde.

“Dylan, Sadie!” shouted Bonde.

They both stopped and looked at her. “We need to have those of us who can fly take us to the town nearby, Fire Blade, Phoenix, make a platform from the bark,” said Bonde as she thought of anything possible for them to do to make it easy. “I got it! Quick, Shot, Regal, you three take a corner and Shock Blade can hold the other up with his magic. The rest of us will have Fire Blade, Dark, and Phoenix use their magic to channel energy between us and you,” she said as Sadie and Yuna made a platform. Bonde checked to see if it would be sturdy and decided it would work. “One more thing, we’ll need to go by these names so nopony gets suspicious. Everyone on and do your part!” she said as she took a seat.

“How far do you think the town is?” asked Widow as she grabbed a corner.

“Surely not too far, I’m sure that nopony would go too deep in the woods,” said Bonde as the unicorns began to concentrate. “Oh, and one thing Dylan, turn your horn invisible, it may raise suspicion.”

Dylan did as he was told and his horn began to shimmer and disappear. He also put a hood on that he conjured up, and appeared like any refugee of war, from Tamriel that is, if you remove the wings and back body and made him into an orphaned Imperial child.

Unlike what Bonde had thought, it was a few hours before they reached the town, and they collapsed of exhaustion. Before Bonde, the last one to keep from passing out, could pass out, somepony came by and looked at them, and shouted for help. When help did arrive, she managed to whisper two words, “Thank… you.” And then everything was the color of her mind.

Expect these next chapters to take some time getting out, I try to keep my mind on this but it keeps on wandering. Plus tests have started up, so extra pressure. Yipee. Anyway, hope ya’ll like it. I apologize if I have Daring’s name wrong, but I try my best. Have a great day! Now to get started on my next chapter. Whoop-dee-doo fer writin then typin.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Awakening

Bonde’s eyes fluttered open, protesting at the sudden movement. ‘Where…’ she thought before she remembered. She was in a strange room, on some sort of bed. The first sense she got while she was looking around was a chapel, where she was healed once to keep her from dying. When she looked around…

No. she couldn’t let her mind drift. There’s no telling where they were. She knew that there was a chance that nopony here would hurt them, but...

“Are they going to be alright?” asked a familiar voice.

“Yes, don’t you worry. You were just exhausted. What amazes me is what you all did,” said another voice. She had interpreted the first to be Auron, so she was no doubt safe, but who was the other?

“It was Mace’s idea, she deserves the credit. The rest of us just went with her plan,” said Auron. She realized they were coming to the door and quickly got back down to seem like she was asleep.

“Hard Mace! Your awake!” said Auron, who she had just noticed had not made a name. ‘Oh no, what if he already made one and-‘

Her thoughts were cut when the one next to Auron said his name. “She needs to get rest Mr. Surecut. You have five minutes.”

“Thank you Nurse Redheart,” he said with a slight bow.

“So who else is awake?” Bonde asked as Nurse Redheart left the room.

“Just us two right now,” he said as he got close to her ear to whisper to her, “I have Dylan’s name listed as Quick Slice, a small favor I figured I owed him for back at the Imperial Invasion,” whispered Auron.

The Imperial Invasion was an assault on the Imperial City led primarily by Jordan. Auron would have died at Jordan’s blade tip had Dylan not intervened and stabbed Jordan. What Dylan used was a poison that neutralized his dagger’s enchantments and paralyzed Jordan. When the war was won, Jordan was placed in prison, alive only because he was Sadie’s brother.

“When can I get out?” Bonde asked, eager to look around.

“In about three days. 'Til then, just hang tight.”

“Very well,” said Bonde. She disliked needing to wait but as a brilliant strategist in battles, she knew that patience was required in everything, even in… wherever she was. It looked similar to a chapel but seemed more advanced then what those in Tamriel used. 'Could this be the other side of our world? Could this be…'

“So is that filly yours?” she heard someone ask. She had often been asked a question like that when she took care of Dylan, and she had no doubt the question was directed towards her. What should she say? That Dylan’s parents were killed and he was an orphan? Yes and she was with a pegasus? The first sounded far better and more likely, plus not as much suspicion would be raised from it. Unless they asked what happened to his parents, and it wasn’t likely werewolves and vampires resided in this place’s caves.

That’s it! “His parents died in a cave and I found him hiding in the woods. I’ve taken care of him and found some friends along the way and we formed a little group,” she said. It wasn’t a full lie. It wasn’t a full truth either but it wasn’t a full lie.

“Oh why that poor filly. How’d he survive?” asked the nurse.

‘You’d be surprised,’ thought Bonde as she looked to where she could hear Dylan’s frightened noises.

Sadie woke up about an hour later and was in another room. It took the full town of where they were (which was known as Ponyville) about 2 hours to catch him, due to the fact he kept teleporting and turning invisible, plus add the fact he was one of the most brilliant spell makers of Tamriel. He had even made a spell to increase his speed three-fold and to allow him to jump four times higher than normal. When they finely caught him, a Purple unicorn had neutralized his magic (which took a lot of effort on her part) while Bonde explained to Sadie that there was no reason to panic. After about 5 minutes of explaining and 15 minutes of convincing, Sadie calmed down and introduced himself as Fire Sword.

They were given the opportunity to leave the hospital and stay at the inn, but Bonde and Auron explained they had no money.

“That shouldn’t be a problem, there’s plenty of jobs in Ponyville,” said the purple mare. Bonde looked her up and down, taking note of distinguishing features. She had a darker violet mane and tail with a pink stripe going through both, and a cutie mark of a six-pointed star with smaller stars surrounding it. Bonde thought she recognized the purple unicorn from somewhere but couldn’t quite place it.

“Thank you, but we don’t like to stay anywhere too long. Gets a tad boring when you do the same thing over and over,” said Bonde, hoping she had not upset the mare.

“I understand. A great way to get money for you might be to help my friend Applejack.” Great, now she HAD to accept or upset, and in her past, it’s better to accept a quick job. Course, they needed the money, and it could help them with getting a place to rest once everyone else finely woke up.

“I accept the offer for now,” Bonde answered politely as she bowed. She motioned for Auron and Sadie to do the same, and they too accepted. “However for now, I would like to check on Quick Slice,” she said.

“I’ll look around and see if I can find any unique plants,” Sadie said quietly to Bonde as he walked away.

Dylan looked around him but couldn’t figure out where he was. Then it hit him, Bloodcrest Cavern, the place where his parents had been killed, or at least his father. His mother he knew was still alive due to one of his dagger’s enchantments. He then heard a laugh all too familiar.

“The great child who can kill victims,” said Jordan’s voice.

“Where are you?!” Dylan shouted.

“Why? So you can kill another victim?”

“Your no victim, you’re a murderer!” shouted Dylan. Jordan was the full reason he was separated from his mother and his father being dead. Jordan should have died in the war.

“And you’re the avenger? The justifier? What are you if I’m a killer?”

Dylan remained silent. It was partly true; no one chose to become a vampire. But it was them who give in to their instincts.

Suddenly, his eyes opened, and before he could even move, a vision enveloped him.

He was in a cell as a pony, hearing screams from somewhere. He couldn’t get out no matter what he tried. His magic was cut off and his wings were useless because of the walls and roof. He could smell death from around him, and he knew where ONE single, unique scent came from. The scent of Nightshade and Deathbell mixed together. The scent of poison. He then saw an Imperial with golden eyes, red hair like his. He saw her in pain… and he could do nothing to help her. Could that be his… his mother?

Suddenly, his vision released him, and he saw somepony watching him. They looked at him with a look of worry and pity. They had eyes the color of the sun, a golden mane and tail, and a coat with the same color as a sunflower. The pony watching him was… ‘Mom? Does she recognize me?’ he thought to himself. The last time he saw her as a pony was when he was only 7, and they had both changed no doubt. He blinked and she disappeared. “Was I imagining her?” he asked himself out loud.

“Imagining who?” asked a pink pony that appeared out of nowhere.

“Nopony,” Dylan quickly lied. He thought he heard something in the back of his head, but put it aside. He looked away so that the strange pony wouldn’t see his face.

Suddenly he heard the door open. When he looked, he saw Bonde in the doorway. “Thanks for watching him for me Pinkie. You can go plan a party now.”

“What?” Dylan asked when it became clear that his friend was trying to decide whether or not to ask a question.

“Who were you imagining?”

Knowing it was pointless to hide it from her, he told what he could understand. “My mother. It’s more then imagining, I know it. I think… I think she’s near.”

Bonde searched for the right words, but came up with nothing that could help the boy. ‘Is it that?’ she thought to herself. ‘Or do I want to find her too?’

“All right, but before you do go, you need to find Fire Sword.” Dylan could easily understand the meaning behind her quick statement. She wanted to keep him near.

“Before I do go, where’s everyone else?”

“The rest of them are looking around. You were asleep for a long while Quick Slice,” she said, hinting him to the name. He nodded in understanding, and went off.

Jordan watched as Bonde and Dylan left the strange building, taking note of all the possible outcomes if he attacked now. He looked behind him to the Dark Brotherhood initiate who had come with him. He shook his head, telling him to lower the bow. He looked back out to the town and looked toward his younger brother Naranel, the largest reason why the war was lost. His time for revenge was near, and his brothers’ time of living were coming to a close.

“For the Dread Father,” Jordan wispered to himself. And indeed, death was near. And chaos would follow.

In one form, or another…

Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Searching and Reading

Samiel looked at the library of the greatest warrior, his closest friend, and the most brilliant strategist, whom was now missing. The mages confirmed they were still alive, but something was blocking their power. Samiel knew, as did the few others who were close friends to her, that if there were an explanation why, it would be in her library. She had managed to have an enchanter place a spell upon her desk, to where it would have an infinite amount of space. She had the desk well organized, books upon the Dark Brotherhood, the Thieves guild, islands known in the seas, and Oblivion. She had a book for just about everything imaginable, for she kept her eyes open for any books.

However, all throughout the desk, inside, outside, beneath, on top, he could not find a book with the answer he searched for. He had searched all day and all through the night in the desk, and he finaly concluded that the book wasn’t in the desk. ‘Perhaps she took it with her, to read on the trip,’ he thought to himself. But that only brought one feeling, and that was the urge to discover where Jordan went. But he swore to himself he would find answers, that he will not chase Jordan blindly.

He shuddered at the memory that came to him. Jordan had turned the prison into a graveyard in his wake, killing all the guards brave enough to face him. Those who made even a single motion to grab their weapons were slew with the speed few vampires had. By the time Samiel reached the prison, Jordan jumped off the bridge, landing safely at the bottom as he smiled to Samiel. Samiel had chosen to help the survivors of Jordan’s wake, and had let Jordan go. When he looked upon the ‘prison’, he was met with the most sickening site of all.

Blood and arms, heads and legs, the faces of the dead many. Sometimes, Samiel wondered how the kind and modest Sadie could possibly be brothers to a merciless assassin like Jordan. The survivors had it worse. They were bitten, pale, and would no doubt lose their lives, however slowly, for they were cut in some of the major arteries, but minor enough to make their death slow. Most assassins in Samiel’s experience were quick to kill their targets, but Jordan knew what pain and suffering truly meant.

The little information they could get from the survivors made little sense, but Samiel knew where to look. Although… he couldn’t find the book.

He sat in the chair behind him, and tried to think of something. ‘If I were Bonde, where would I hide a book of information like that continent?’ he thought to himself, unable to remember what the book had called it. Then it hit him. More like a sudden slap really, but either way, he stood up and ran to her bed. He ran his hand under the pillow, searching for any crevices that would indicate Bonde’s craftsman’s ship. And he found it, too thick for a thief to look, yet thin enough for someone who was looking for it. He opened it and found the book he was looking for, entitled with the words ‘Lands Beyond Tamriel’. He skimmed the contents page and went to page 573, chapter name, A Bordered Land, Equestria. He smiled as faint memories of his last reading retuned. Memories of a magical barrier, of a advanced species, whom earned their technology from a long extinct race. And that species, was much like those of Tamriel, able to be regal, yet ready to fight. He knew where they were. And if he knew assassins like Jordan, he’d find him too. It was only a matter of time.

But did he have enough of it? For his instincts told him Jordan was after Sadie, Naranel, and possibly even Dylan.

‘No, I will not think such thoughts,’ Samiel thought to himself. “I WILL reach them before Jordan. But how?” he said outloud, unintending.

His thoughts were interupted by a knock on the door. He went downstairs and found himself face to face with a Kajiit named Tyagosa, a skilled assassin who despised the Dark Brotherhood’s Listener, Jordan. She was with the normal eye color as other vampires, and was eager to step inside out of the rain outside.

“The mages are ignorant and have begun to believe that they are dead. But you and I both know that would not happen so suddenly,” she said as she sat.

“That is the problem with many, they trust their power too much.”

“Did you find anything that may have given a lead?”

“Something better. Just where they went,” he answered as he handed Tyagosa the book.

“‘Lands Beyond Tamriel’? You expect a book to help us?”

“It’s like Bonde always says, ‘You may know much, but books tell more’, or something along those lines.”

“Indeed, or are you sure your not thinking of ‘When you are lost, search for help?’” Tya was right, Bonde said so many sayings it was impossible to keep up with them all. And some of those sayings were… strange.

“We must leave soon, I do not want to stay here. It’s odd without Bonde here,” Samiel said to break the silence he had not noticed.

“Agreed. ‘This may be a house, but home is with your friends’” Tya said, sneaking one of Bonde’s sayings in.

And so, the two stood and left, ready for what lay ahead.

But not for what lay behind…

Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Failure

“So how long was I out?” Dylan said, unable to understand why his memory was so fuzzy.

“A few weeks, not too long considering what you managed to do,” answered Rikku.

After a few moments of silence, Dylan shouted “Fire Blade!?” as they walked. Dylan suddenly noticed that it was quiet next to him. He looked behind him and saw the worst possible thing.

“DUCK!” Dylan shouted as he got down on the ground temporarily. Rikku had stopped to admire a necklace made of opal for a chain and a diamond inlay when an arrow was shot from the bushes. When it passed him he got up and galloped to the bushes.

“Quick!” shouted Rikku when he passed her. But he had already reached the bushes, and nothing was there but trampled leaves left behind by a quick hurry.

Dylan noticed a gold tuft of fur caught by the bush, but it was not enough to find the culprit.

“This place was supposed to be peaceful,” Dylan whispered to himself in clear disbelief. “There isn’t supposed to be violence.”

“I heard shouting,” said a white unicorn with midnight black hair. He had red eyes that would normally be expected of vampires and a black hoof with a snowflake over it for a cutie mark.

“Somepony shot an arrow here, we don’t know why,” said Rikku, quick at trusting the pony.

He quickly took in the sight and paled (assuming it’s possible). “Come, we must go indoors,” he said as he left to the inn.

Rikku, being quick to trust, followed him. Dylan, however, was wary of the strange pony, and followed only to keep an eye on Rikku.

Jordan was speechless. Not only was there another one after Dylan and his friends, but they had shot at the same time as him. Had Dylan not looked at the time he did, he would have had an arrow cut his neck deep enough to guarantee his slow death, and the pony with him would have been shot by the other arrow. He, however furious, had seen an opportunity and had seized it as fast as he could, hoping the other pony would have quick instincts to trust at a time such as that, and they had.

He had led them to the room he had managed to rent with the money of a stallion lucky enough to be allowed to live, however getting cut on the leg and taken to the village’s healing chambers. Jordan had coated the dagger with a poison that will erase the memory of the stallion meeting him, therefore removing the memory of being threatened.

“You’re lucky to have seen that arrow when you did,” Jordan said.

“Indeed. Had Quickslip not stopped, however, I would not have looked back,” Dylan answered.

“All I wanted to do was look at a necklace that would have went great on Mace,” said Quickslip.

“My name is Frost Blade. It is an honor to make your acquaintance.” ‘Although it would have been greater to have killed you,’ thought Jordan as he held out his hoof to shake.

“Quick Slice,” Dylan said, extending his hoof out.

As the three spoke, they were unaware of the pair of ears listening in on the other side of the door.

‘Do not worry my child,’ thought the golden pony as she listened, ‘I will keep you safe.’

Sadie walked through the orchard, unseen thanks to his invisibility spell. He watched Bonde work in the orchard, seeming as if she had bucked apple trees all her life. Course, she probably has, considering her past. She was perhaps the most unique warrior of Tamriel, even if she denied that it was true.

As she bucked the trees, Bonde and Sadie both perked their ears up to a noise that was barely audible. Then the arrows came forth, all aimed for Bonde.

Knowing the danger that was coming, she quickly galloped behind a tree thick enough for her to be safe behind. Sadie, knowing that he was invisible, went from tree to tree to find the archer who was clearly skilled, for Bonde had to keep moving so as to not be shot by a deflected arrow.

When Sadie was coming closer to the archer, a twig cracked beneath him. ‘DAMN!’

The archer then came out of the bushes, and next to him with a dagger next to her was… ‘Double damn!’

The archer was a brown unicorn, but had many of his features hidden under a cape and hood that was held aloft by his horn. He was holding Applejack’s sister in his magic, just inches away from death, fear in her eyes.

“Come any closer, and the filly here gets stabbed!” said the archer. Sadie knew he would have to reveal himself to keep the filly safe, so he did so.

“Let the filly go and let us negotiate,” Sadie said with as much calm as he could gather so as to get him to release Apple Bloom. Unfortunately, he sounded more scared than anything else.

The archer just smiled. “And give you the upper edge? I think not. I would rather keep her in my grasp.”

“Release her, or you get killed by your own arrow,” said Bonde, or at least she tried, for she had an arrow in her mouth. “You should not let your defenses down.” Again, she tried to speak, but the arrow in her mouth prevented any speech.

The archer then chuckled, and spoke. “And you should be careful for what you request.” What came next was so sudden, even Bonde was slow to recuperate. The archer threw Apple Bloom to a tree, kicked Bonde into a tree ten meters away, and picked Sadie up and threw him into a branch toward the top of one of the trees.

Before Sadie could get off his cut and bruised back, he had a dagger move toward his throat.

“Prepare to meet Sithis, for he will eagerly be awaiting you!” said the archer.

Sadie grabbed the dagger with his magic, but all that caused was slowing down the blade. Sadie didn’t have much time, and Bonde had received a brute of a crash, for she was knocked out, her legs twisted and bent in ways unimaginable. He saw Applejack, but by the time she’d reach them, Sadie would already be dead or dying.

Sadie closed his eyes as he gave up hope, and prepared for the inevitable. He had run a good life, and had saved hundreds of people. He had stopped numerous enemies. Manimarco, Umaril, Dagon, Jygalagg, the Blackwood Company, and even ran a major role in the victory of the war. He thought it funny, how with a little bit of help, he had managed to save the world countless times, but when it all boiled down to now, he couldn’t save himself.

He suddenly felt a familiar sensation around the dagger, and felt it stop. He opened his eyes, and close enough to use his magic, he saw Naranel.

“You owe me another!” shouted Naranel with strain. As the archer tried to take full control of the dagger, he did not notice the two earth ponies now close enough to yell at him. Applejack stopped by her sister as Big Macintosh came closer and closer to the archer that had hurt their sister.

“You… will… DIE!” shouted the archer as the dagger gained only a single millimeter to Sadie’s neck.

“Nope!” said the heavy voice of an angry Big Mac.

Big Mac then reared up, and came down upon the archer’s rib cage, the archer having only moments to realize that he had let his guard down too long.

Leaving Big Mac to break the archer’s body into multiple pieces, Sadie and Naranel ran to their broken friend.

“Hard Mace!” they began to shout.

“No need to shout,” she answered weakly with a grin on her face.

“Can you heal her?” Naranel asked his brother.

Sadie nodded and began to lower his head to Bonde. However, before he could begin his spell, Bonde spoke. “No, heal the filly. I will heal in time.”

“Are you sure?” Sadie asked.

“Yes, and besides, there’s always Phoenix,” She answered as a smile spread across her face. But she winced in pain as she did.

Knowing Bonde’s stubbornness, Sadie went to where Apple Bloom lay, unconscious and with many cuts and bruises. “May I?” Sadie asked, not wanting to alarm Applejack.

All Applejack could do was nod. With that permission, Sadie leaned his head down and began to heal Apple Bloom, first starting with a few broken ribs he hadn’t noticed at first, and moving on to where all that was left was a few small bruises and thin, short cuts that should all finish healing in the next few hours.

The adrenaline from the battle having left, Sadie began to sway back and forth, pain from cuts, bruises, broken ribs, and fractured legs causing his vision to become blurred. And then, unnoticing, he fell, his vision going black and his brother shouting his pony name. But all he heard… was silence.

Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Greif, Hope, and Interogation

Naranel looked upon his brother, sorrow filling his heart as he heard the mechanical beeping of the machine telling his heart rate. After so many years, his baby brother was defeated by magic, that which his brother was strongest in. When Sadie had fallen to the ground of the orchard, rage was the first feeling in his heart, and rage was the most dangerous in his heart. He had come close to killing the archer, but fortunately, Yuna had stopped him.

Yuna had done what she could for Sadie, but even that was not enough. His brother was the only one that could cause the recovery. All they could do was stop the bleeding, and prey to the nine that Sadie would find his path back.

Naranel didn’t really believe in the nine, and if they were real, they would no doubt hate him for the murders he had committed out of rage and grief. ‘Please, to whoever you are, let my brother live,’ thought Naranel as tears began to stream from his eyes. As Naranel cried, he slowly fell into the embrace of sleep.

Bonde carried Naranel to the inn. She, however, fared no better. She could have killed the archer right then and there, and be done with it. But now, because she had given him a chance to release Apple Bloom and live, Sadie was paying the price. Had she told him to heal himself first, then he would not be in this position. She was a fool to have told him to heal Apple Bloom, she would have made a full recovery. She should have known better from when she was just a child, no, pup. But now, her feelings for the young have blinded her judgment.

She could have done so many things differently, but instead she chose the path of foolishness, that which brought death most often. She had been taught by the best of her pack, had memorized the numerous ways of strategy and when to use them, had even defended her sister from a man in dwarven armor knowing the right strategy. But now, the years of peace and negotiation, where the most dangerous thing she had encountered was lava in the lands of Oblivion, had worn her battle mind to a stub compared to what it once was, what it should still be.

If any were to be blamed, it was primarily her. She could have prevented the filly’s pain, her pain, and most of all, Sadie’s pain. She blamed herself for her foolishness, and her friend was forced to pay the price.

Dylan was also grief stricken. The one who had helped him outside of Bloodcrest, who had helped him reach Bonde, who had helped him survive in the war, was now terribly wounded. He did the best he could to heal his friend, but could not succeed. He had conquered many other feats considered impossible, but he could not help his greatest friend. Dylan did his best to keep his sorrows contained, but he could only hold so much. He had already lost so much, how could the Divines take something else from him, something so valuable to his life.

It was the same for many, they could not handle the loss of their friend. But Dylan was the most attached to Sadie. Bonde would have lectured Dylan about attachment, had she not been so attached herself. Yuna would have helped Dylan heal Sadie, had she not been worn out from her own attempts.

But one was more grief stricken then the rest of them. One who hid in the shadow and protected from behind the scenes. One who owed Sadie many thanks for helping Dylan. A golden pegasus that hovered outside the window and occasionally came in. She would have attempted to heal Sadie, had her magics been available. She would hug him, had he not been so bruised. Even Zecora’s potions had not worked to heal him. The golden pegasus was filled with grief and sorrow, for if Sadie did not return, she would not be able to thank him. She grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil from her bags, and began to write.

Dear Reader,

Give this note to Fire Blade if and when he awakens. He and his friends are in grave danger of a unicorn named Jordan, who is going by the name of Frost Blade. He has come here to Ponyville to assassinate Fire Blade and his friends. And as a personal thanks to you Fire Blade, if you are reading this, I thank you for all you have done.

Sincerely,

Golden Flare.

She placed it beside Sadie’s bedside lamp, and flew out the window as quietly as can be.

Dylan walked into the room, and went to Sadie. “Hey, Fire Blade, do you remember what happened at Leyawiin? How I took one gate down and you took the other? I don’t know if I ever told you but a dremora said that I would be coming here again. I honestly thought he was crazy. I didn’t think I’d ever come here again. But I don’t care now. Please, please just come back!” Dylan noticed that he was beginning to cry for his dear friend and was also speaking useless sentences. Aside from the pleading of course. He did not see those as useless.

As he was preparing to leave, he saw a note beside Sadie and picked it up. As he read it, anger grew in his heart. He didn’t know how, but this ‘Golden Flare’ somehow knew Dylan’s past and was trying to frame Frost Blade. Then it hit him, this ‘Golden Flare’ was no doubt the real Jordan trying to cause death and destruction. After all, Jordan was a deceiver, stealthy, and easily able to convince you of something.

As Dylan was walking out the door he folded up the piece of paper and put it in his mane. As he did so, he began to let his mind wander to numerous things, such as where his mother was. Where was Jordan, and how’d he escape. He would find out, and he would kill Jordan, for Jordan was no doubt the reason Sadie was in this shape. And Dylan knew who would have the answers. It was getting him to talk that was the hard part.

But the assassin would no doubt have a point to which he will be forced to talk. Dylan would find it, exploit it, find Jordan, and make him pay for his brother’s suffering. The note, after all, may be true, and it may be false. The assassin would know.

He would make Jordan pay for his father’s death, and Jordan will beg for a quick death. But Dylan would have no mercy upon his enemy.

As Bonde would say, ‘the hunter, shall become the hunted,’ one way or another.

Jordan’s anger grew. The imbecile was ordered to kill Bonde, not Sadie. And he failed at even that. He had disobeyed Jordan’s orders, and he would pay the price for that. Jordan knew as well that if the ‘assassin’ lived, there would remain a link that would point to him.

As Jordan was hidden inside the barrel, he heard tears come from Yuna. She was weak, for she did not know when to use her anger and grief to kill. Jordan had heard what had happened, how the useless meat had stopped Naranel. She had been a fool, for the assassin would never speak of Jordan and his appearance.

Jordan felt vibrations reverberate through the barrel, and waited for Yuna’s tears to fade from hearing. When Jordan deemed it safe, he lifted the lid and held his eyes upon a brown unicorn in a cell.

“You have served me well,” Jordan said as he savored the violent shakes the unicorn gave, “but you cannot be allowed to live.”

“Please, my lord, forgive me!” the unicorn said quickly. Jordan centered his anger on the unicorn. “Release… me in… stead,” the unicorn begged as Jordan took its life force.

“I will give you no more chances,” Jordan said. “But, that doesn’t mean your corpse won’t be useful.” Jordan felt satisfaction at the fear in the unicorn’s eyes, and took the last of its pitiful life. When he heard the thud of the body meeting the ground, he smiled.

‘When the time comes,’ Jordan thought to himself, ‘I will reveal myself. And I will be prepared for a second war.’

And indeed he would be, for he had already begun to form a plan to win easily enough. One with deception and mistrust, that would easily manipulate war and peace, sorrow and happiness, and most of all, one that would bring death to his brothers, just as the dread father ordered.

Samiel and Tya had searched months on end for clues as to where their friends were. They had given up hope that they were still alive, and had ordered drinks from a barkeeper in a town known as Appleoosa.

“Do you think they’re still alive Silver?” Tya asked. They had decided it best to come up with names so they would not alert Jordan to their prescence if he was close.

“I doubt it. Don’t forget one of them is quick to anger.”

“What if the others kept him calm? It’s possible!”

“Just accept it. Even if their alive, we won’t find them.”

Tya gave up hope of convincing Samiel that it was possible to find them and went back to drinking. But even the sweetness of the drink could not help her. “Excuse me, but I need some air,” she said as she got up and left.

When she found a suitable place to sit beneath the beuty of the stars, she looked up to them and looked for the ones she had been born under, the Shadow. As she searched she had not noticed the soft flap of wings behind her that normally indicated a pegasus.

“You admire my night?” asked a voice that had suprsed Tya. When she looked behind her and saw Luna, the princess of the night, she calmed.

“Yes. I find the night sky beautiful like some of my friends,” she said in answer to the question.

“Indeed,” said Samiel as he walked up and sat beside his friend.

“Tell me, what are your friends like?” Luna asked in curiosity.

“Rather unique, all in a good way of course,” Tya answered.

“Some more then others. One is a great strategist when we come up to creatures in the Everfree,” Samiel added.

“What is this pony like?” asked Luna as she sat down next to them.

“Well, she was raised by an interesting family, and normally spouts out tons of sayings that have saved us in the Everfree.”

“Would you care to tell me of some of these adventures?” Luna asked.

“Of course not,” Tya said as she began to tell some of their adventures. As the night dragged on, Luna listened with joy, glad that the two did not judge her by her past. Soon it came time for Luna to lower the moon to make way for the sun, and Luna bid them farewell.

“She’s not that bad,” said Tya as the two began to walk to a inn.

“Back home they weren’t too bad either, except for the occasional Mythic Dawn member,” Samiel replied.

As they walked they looked at a newspaper and froze in place. On the front page it read ‘Assault on Adventurers’ as a title.

“How much does it say?!” Samiel asked in excitement while Tya looked at the price.

“Ten bits!” Samiel quickly took out the money and handed it to his friend. When they had a paper, they eagerly read it.

Four ponies were assaulted just yesterday by a brown unicorn and an unknown. Investigators report that the most injured may not survive what he has experienced and may pass away. “I don’t know who would attack us, but they can be gaurenteed they’ll regret their decision,” says Quick Slice, a filly who was personally shot at, and a friend to Fire Blade, the one who has experienced the most dangerous wounds. “When I find out who hired this assassin, they will pay for the pain Fire has experienced,” says Hard Mace, a mare who is also close friends with Fire Blade. Shock Blade, who is Fire Blade’s brother, was overcome with grief and anger when he saw his brother fall on the ground of Sweet Apple Acres, an apple orchard outside of the town of Ponyville.

When they read Ponyville they imeadeatly went to the train station and bought two tickets for a ride to Ponyville. As they rode, however, they began to wonder, just what did their friends look like? And were these their friends?

Dylan walked into the makeshift dungeon that the assassin was being held in as the princesses were on their way and took a seat in front of him.

“I know where you’re from, and who hired you,” Dylan said. “What I want to know is this: Where… is… Jordan?”

“Just how do you know I was hired by this ‘Jordan’?” the assassin said as he looked down to hide his eyes.

“Because, I have written proof, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure it out. You weren’t hired by Jordan because he orders the Dark Brotherhood. He has a grudge against us and so he brought both you and himself to assassinate me as well as everyone else.”

“You have it mostly correct aside from one small detail. Just what makes you think I’ll tell you where he is?”

“Everypony has a point where they’re forced to talk, or in this case, everyone. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. That is your choice.”

“Ha. Hahahaha!” The assassin began to laugh. As he did, ever so slowly, his voice began to change. When it had changed to where it was Jordan’s laugh, the lifeless husk that was once the assassin raised its face to reveal that it was dead.

“I must admit Dylan, you are indeed quite clever,” Jordan said. “However, you’re not quick enough to save this useless assassin.”

“Jordan,” Dylan growled, “I will find you!”

“And just how is that? You have no link to me as far as I know, and I’m nowhere near the useless walls. Your ‘nine divines’ clearly are not smiling upon you. Oh, and by the way, you have no need to worry for Sadie. From what I can tell, he’ll survive. And in all honesty, I want him to. I want to see the final seconds of his life, as well as the rest of you of course.”

“When I find you, I will make you pay!”

The corpse Jordan was communicating through gave a sigh of disappointment. “Perhaps you are just a slight foolish. You simply can’t accept the fact you have no leads to where I am. Oh well, it will be entertaining to see what is no doubt about to commence. Oh, and should I mention I’ve learnt how to change my form? It really is quite lovely. Perhaps I’ll attack one of your precious princesses, or better yet, kidnap one of them and play their part.”

“If you touch either of them-”

“You’ll what? Attack me? For all you know I might instead do it to one of your friends, or the student of the sun princess, Twilight Sparkle, whom I must admit is quite drab. Or I might have already done one of those. And Twilight Sparkle, from what I’ve overheard, is often with the sun princess when she gets the chance. I must admit, it’s quite entertaining to see your cluelessness.” Jordan once again laughed. “Well, I must release the spell allowing me to speak through this corpse. It’s getting a slight complicated to control its hunger. I’d say good bye for the last time, but I’m sure you’ll be able to defeat a shell. Ta ta.”

Dylan watched as the energy flow Jordan used slowly died down to release the zombie pony. When the energy was completely cut off, Dylan was already a ways away.

“Think, think!” Dylan said to himself as he began to break into a sweat. As Dylan backed away, the zompony began to moan. Normally somepony would be outside, but Dylan had used his magic to shape the guard’s thoughts to where he would leave so that Dylan could openly torture the prisoner if necessary. Dylan was presumably alone in the ‘prison’, but if he wasn’t and he used his magic, he would raise suspicion and soon enough, chaos.

As Dylan felt the vibrations that were the result of the wall, he heard a faint voice in his head that sounded familiar, almost like…

HIRCY?! Dylan thought.

Bout time! You know what Bonde would say! Just kill that thing! If we’re discovered we’ll deal with it!

Dylan nodded, feeling confidence well up in him. As the zompony aproached him, Dylan concentrated, preparing to release his magics upon the zompony. 'Zenithar and Kynareth give me strength' Dylan thought as he released a volley of spectracal daggers towards the zompony.

Dylan could not risk looking, for fear of losing concentration, but he could feel the pain the daggers caused, as if they were a part of him. He could feel them as they went through the unholy creature, undoing the spell that both caused it’s hunger and it’s undeath. He felt as the creature cringed from the daggers as fire does water. He could feel as the final wisps of the spell were undone, and the daggers stopped, as if going into a wall, and faded, as a fire does with nothing to burn. Dylan looked at the creature as he felt the excessive use of magic take its toll. Dylan used the last of his strength to hide his horn, as he heard a friendly voice speak to him.

Rest. You deserve it. Dylan, having barely felt his old friend, fell to the ground, and let the encumbrance of exhaustion lead him into the wonders of sleep.

“Dylan!” Bonde yelled. She had planned to interrogate the prisoner, but when she entered the room, what she saw had stopped her in her tracks. She quickly ran to the young one’s side, fear growing rapidly in her heart. She put her ear on Dylan’s chest and heard… a heartbeat. Bonde quickly calmed, and took in the rest of the scene. The assassin was on the floor, no wounds what so ever.

“What… what happened here?”

Her battle mind had already begun to play out all the possibilities as she sat down by Dylan’s side, unwilling to stand until all her fear was banished from both her heart and mind. One scenario that played through her head was that the assassin and Dylan both were poisoned, but there was no food nor drinks in the cell. Another was that somepony had entered and attacked, but there would be wounds in one of the two pony’s that laid on the ground. ‘Unless the assailant was a unicorn!’ she thought as she stood up and walked to the assassin. When she knelt to feel his heartbeat, she felt nothing at all. ‘Well there goes that possibility,’ she thought to herself as she sat back down by Dylan.

Another scenario played through her mind. One that suggested the one who hired the assassin killed him, but the pony would have then been wise enough to kill Dylan as well, for he would have still pained her. As she thought, she felt something tug at her mind. As she slowly opened the doors into her mind to the presence, she heard and felt a familiar presence.

Hello, Bonde,  greeted Hircy.

What happened? she asked. She knew that if any other then Dylan knew, it would be Hircy.

Jordan happened.

Bonde was silent, both physically and mentally, for she knew Hircy would speak.

He must have killed the assassin before we got here, because the assassin was nothing more then a zombie.

Necromancy?

Of course. You really have lost your battle mind’s spike.

Do you know where Jordan is?

No, just that he’s near and can transform.

‘So he’s a unicorn,’ Bonde thought to herself. Farewell Hircy. Something tells me simply communicating is taxing for you, she thought.

Indeed it is, he said. This barrier is no doubt what causes it. With those final words, Hircy’s presence disappeared.

‘So you’re here as a unicorn that can shapeshift. Where?’ Bonde thought as she got Dylan’s unconsciess body on her back. She slowly walked out of the cell, so as not to disturb the rest of the filly.

Well, hope this chapter is enjoyed. I had a hard time doing it. And no worries, I still plan to have Discord. Still not sure bout Nightmare though. Anyways, if you have an idea on how to make story better, let me know. And let me know of any mistakes, problems, and so on in the story. And go on and feel free to comment bout simple details if you want.

Chapter 9

Chapter 9: A Plan Formed is a Plan Executed

Debra took in the night air of Cyrodiil. The night, unlike many things, was peaceful and quiet. Nothing like the land and creatures it shrouded. She was often believed to work for the Dark Brotherhood, but like a select few assassins, she was a rouge. The killer she admired was a tie between Naranel and Black Widow. Naranel because he had the brutality to kill thousands of guards at a time without dying or surrendering. Widow because she was stealthy and agile, and knew how to use a bow.

Debra didn’t know the secrets of a bow, so she used spells instead. Nor did she have the strength of Naranel to defend herself when against simply ten guards. So she used enchanted clothing to hide herself when on an assassination. This assassination, however, went terribly wrong when she stepped on a simple dry twig.

She was supposed to have snuck in, poisoned a drink, wait for a victim to drink it, present herself as a traveling saleswoman, act sympathetic, and kill the target at the funeral. It had all gone according to plan, until the funeral. The target had made sure it was held in the forests, and so she had needed to stay near. When she killed the target with a shock spell, she attempted to sneak away, but she stepped on a twig, so she was forced to run before the mage there used an area spell to reveal her. She was quick enough to get away, but she wasn’t quick enough to keep her outfit’s enchantment active.

And now, here she was, hiding just under the Imperials’ noses near the meeting point of the theive’s guild. She wasn’t a thief in a roundabout way. Sure, she took item’s from people’s homes, but those people were dead so they wouldn’t have any use for the things. Sure she was part of the guild, but only to remove any fines she ended up with on the job of assassination.

As she waited, she began to hear voices again. For the past few weeks she had been hearing voices, often saying to sail to a land called Estria or something. She’d heard the voices once before, but what they said then nearly got her killed. They had kept saying to go into the realm of Oblivion and slow down its forces, but when she did she had nearly been over ran. She was lucky that a child came and saved her. Assuming he was a child, for he fought with the grace of one who has experienced much.

After about thirty minutes she went to the waters to look at her reflection. She was a Wood Elf in looks, but she was different from most others. She, unlike many, was able to change her form, so she could be elf one moment and Kajiit the next. Her true form though was… different. When she showed it, most would run from her. She looked to the night sky and searched for the stars she knew well. The stars of the Serpent.

She indeed was cursed and blessed, just as The Firament said. Cursed because she had grown with no parents in a land that creatures are judged by what they were. Blessed because she had mastered a single ability, that which allowed her to live in the world.

She then noticed that there was light coming from the meeting point. “Time to hear what he has to say,” she thought aloud.

“You shouldn’t have come Debra,” said Armond when he saw her.

The reason he said that was because of someone who was killed. She went to a party, poisoned a drink, and waited. The problem was, the victim was part of the Theive’s guild.

“Look Armond, he wasn’t supposed to have been the victim. In fact, he was the one who hired me!” she said in self-defense.

“Have you forgotten that the Gray Fox changed the rules?! Now if you kill a member you get killed!”

“Stop and think Armond! How was I supposed to know he’d drink that glass of punch! I’ll pay three times of what the fee was; just don’t follow with this rule!”

“I’m afraid it’s worse then that Deb. The man you killed was also part of the Theive’s guild.”

Debra’s eyes widened in amazement. That she would be hired to kill a thief and that Armond didn’t tell her at their last date. “Why didn’t you tell me!?”

“I didn’t know until just recently, I’m sorry!”

“So your going to kill me now!?”

Armond winced as he took the blow. When it got so quiet you could hear a quill drop, he spoke. “No. I’m not killing you,” he said. “But you can’t come back to the theive’s guild either.”

“Then what am I supposed to do? There’s a thief in every major city, and I’m being hunted by guards as we speak. So that knocks out even the inns in the woods.”

“Listen to me Deb. There’s a search party fixing to depart from these docks to search for some of the most famous people. One of them is believed to be the Gray Fox. If you can find them before word of the incident spreads too far, then all the problems blow away. With the Theive’s guild and the empire. Until then, please be safe.”

“Thank you, Armond. I will never forget this.” When she picked up her supplies, she turned to him and kissed him on the lip. When they finished their farewells, she ran to the search ship and found a place on the boat where she won’t be bumped into, and placed a sleep spell on herself.

Jordan was unamazed when he saw Bonde bring Dylan out on her back. There was one child worthy of fighting, and Dylan was the one. However, Dylan presented a problem when he was alive. And any problem known, had to be eliminated. And there are more ways then one to remove Dylan. But one was more effective then anything else.

Jordan began to move more realistically when he heard the flaps of a pegasus in the distance behind him. As he moved, the flaps became louder, and closer. He moved just in the nick of time, because a pegasus flying almost as fast as rainbow nearly hit him. Well, he wasn’t noticed thankfully, since he was a butterfly.

“Bonde!” yelled Widow.

Bonde, in response, turned and saw Widow fly up.

“Where’ve you been?” she asked.

“That doesn’t matter right now. What does matter is that there’s a search party looking for us.”

“A search party? Now?”

“And I think that some of the ponies here in Equestria may be suspicious of us. I saw two recently arrive looking for somepony with a newspaper.”

“What’s so bad about a newspaper?”

“We’re on the front page.”

“WHAT!? I told them NOT to put us on the front page!”

“Well we are. And by the way Bonde…”

“What!?”

“I overheard some of the ponies talking. There’s a holiday called Nightmare Night coming up.”

“Nightmare Night?”

“The only thing I could pick up about it is that your supposed to dress as a creature. I went to the stores and found a few suitable things for it.”

“Like what?”

“To start off, a vampire outfit for Dylan,” Widow said as she pulled out a cape, some teeth, and face paint.

“Really Widow?”

“If we don’t suspicions will continue to rise.”

“What about Sadie? He needs someone to take care of…”

“Which reminds me, Sadie recently woke up. And the doctor says he’ll make it.”

Bonde seemed like she was amazed and happy at the same time.

“Well, when should he heal?”

“The doctor said he should be out of the hospital in three to four days tops. If his recovery is good enough, then he’ll be released today.”

“That’s good to know. Let’s get going, I need some time to think.”

‘Thinking is the last thing you’ll be doing,’ Jordan thought as they walked away. With haste, he quickly transformed into Cheerilee and walked to her home.

Bonde had just finished tucking Dylan in bed when she heard a knock at the inn’s door. “Who’d want to talk to us?” she thought aloud.

She received her answer when she opened the door. “Hard Mace! Thank goodness your available! Apple Jack won’t come to my school for hero/family day because she has to work on the farm! And she said to come and ask you! But if you don’t come I won’t have anyone to come for hero/family day at school, and everypony else will! I’ll be embarrassed and then Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon won’t let me hear the end of it! You’ve gotta come to my school Mace! You’re the only other person!”

“Hssshhhhh… don’t worry Apple Bloom. I’ll come,” said Bonde as she combed Apple Blooms mane with her hoof. She had only caught a few of the words. To start, AJ couldn’t come to a school holiday, and to finish, she’d be embarrassed if nopony came. “When is it?”

“Tomorrow,” answered Apple Bloom.

“How about we get you home,” said Bonde as she closed the door behind her. ‘There goes my time to think.’

Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Warning and Trouble

Dylan looked around where he was. As he did, he heard crackling of a fireball behind him. When he turned, he was amazed. The fire was not the color of the sun, but the color of gold. The color of when his mother summoned fire. As he looked, he saw the fire take a shape. Well, a liqudy shape, since it was fire. It took shape of just what he expected, a pegasus, particularly his mother.

Then, he began to feel cold, as if he were in the Jeralls on a winter month. He saw a flake fall from the air. Then another. And then, a blizzard began, all the flakes seeming as if they were controlled by… something! Then he heard screams that he knew too well. Screams of pain. He heard the screams all around him. Not just of his mother, but of so many others as well. Rainbow Dash, Sadie, Naranel, Rikku, Widow, Yuna, Lulu, and even Bonde.

"The dagger remains unbalanced, and a choice must be made. If the choice is wrong, then the tip of the dagger is carried by one," said a dark voice. "It will begin by a moan, and end with moan."

"NO!!" Dylan yelled. As he looked around, he noticed he was in the inn.

"Slice?" said a voice that sounded strangely familiar. Dylan turned his head and imeadeatly saw why it was familiar.

"Rainbow?!" Imeadeatly Dylan felt the breath squeezed out of him by a high speeding, excited pegasus.

"Hi... Rainb...bow," he wheezed out.

"It's so great to see you again Slice!" she said. "How've you been?"

When Dylan was put down and back to breathing normally, he answered. "Fair enough. Could be better."

"You should meet some of my friends after we catch up more. Till then, I know a great place we can talk!”

Not wanting to disappoint his old friend, he said the best thing he could think of. “Ok, but can it last just a few hours? I need to find some of my friends.

“Sure.”

And so, Dylan followed Dash, unknowing of where to.

Bonde had waited for 20 minutes with how Ms. Cheerilee was having the order. Unlike apparently most times, she had decided that it would be better to do the order by the guest’s name. Her name being Hard Mace, she was one of the last one’s to speak. She started her ‘speech’ by a greeting no doubt most expected.

“Hello class,” she said. “My name, as Ms. Cheerilee said, is Hard Mace.” Immeadetly a hoof went up. “Yes?” she asked.

“What’s a mace?”

“A mace is a kind of weapon that was made where I’m from. It’s basically a ball of metal on a stick,” she said in answer to the question. Then another hoof went up. “Yes?”

“Why would YOU need a weapon? Your looks are bad enough to scare off a creature from the Everfree Forest. Not to mention your smell,” said a pony named Diamond Tiara. Bonde’s anger quickly spiked, but she applied her training.

“Ms. Tiara, I’ll have you know I will not stand for insults. I would have expected you to have better manners for your elders. When I was raised, disrespect led to punishment.” ‘Not to mention I washed up just this morning.’

“I apologize Ms. Mace. Diamond Tiara is going to receive fair punishment for disrespecting you,” said Filthy Rich.

“It’s no problem Mr. Rich. Now, where was I? Oh yes, when I was raised, my parents made sure I knew how to respect a difference.” A hoof then went up. “Yes?”

“Why ARE you Apple Bloom’s hero?”

“Because Apple Bloom was held hostage by an assassin who was after me and a friend.”

“Is your friend the one in the hospital?” asked Redheart, who was a 'hero'.

“Yes. Fire Blade is the one in the hospital. And I thank you for having taken care of his wounds.”

“Is Fire Blade your stallionfiend?” asked Sweetie Bell.

Bonde hardly kept herself from chuckling at the notion. “No Sweetie Bell. Fire Blade is just a close friend of mine.”

“Why was an assassin after you?” asked Scootaloo.

Bonde then went silent for several moments. She had been asked a question she had hoped to not hear.

“Scootaloo, remember, respect,” said Cheerilee.

“It’s ok Ms. Cheerilee. And in answer to your question Scootaloo, I do not know why the assassin was after me.”

“I beg to differ Bonde,” said Cheerilee as Rainbow and Dylan entered the school house.

“How do you know her name!?” Dylan shouted as he entered a battle stance.

“You’re so easy to trick Dylan,” said Rainbow Dash when she pushed Dylan in there.

“You really think I would allow you to be in an area you would win?” asked Diamond Tiara.

“Or against enemies you would fight?” asked Rarity (who was here for Sweetie Bell).

“Where are you Jordan!?” yelled Bonde.

“You expect me to be in the school house?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Well guess again,” said Pipsqueak.

“This is low, even for you!” yelled Dylan.

“Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn’t,” said Filthy Rich.

“But clearly you don’t know me as well as Sadie,” said Nurse Redheart.

“If you did anything to Sadie-”

“Relax,” said Snails.

“Yeah, Sadie snuck out of the hospital before I could do anything!” said Snips.

Suddenly, a scenario playing through her head, Bonde whispered to Dylan as she kept her eyes facing the crowd of ponies.

Then, Dylan began the plan by throwing ink at Rarity.

“Ah! My… NO! NO! YOU ARE MINE!”

“You will pay for this!” shouted Rainbow. But then something was starting. “This… ISN’T… I don’t care what you think is cool you piece of RAINBOW TRASH!”

“Your not… NO! YOU HAVE NO FREE WILL! YOUR MINE!”

“Ugh… Blank flank and crazy! What’s next? Filthy?”

“Don’t ya call her crazy!” yelled Apple Bloom. A few hits and bucks later, everyone was on the floor with a migraine. Everyone but Bonde and Dylan at least.

“Let’s hope nopony’ll remember this,” said Bonde.

“And that everypony’s all right,” Dylan said as he began to heal everypony.

“Everypony-”

“LET THEM…hey, there isn’t any trouble!” said Widow.

“A bit late on the draw Black,” said Bonde.

“You think the school holiday was real?” asked Dylan.

“I doubt it. But we will need to keep our guard up. There’s no telling when Jordan’ll strike again.”

“Not to mention how,” said a pony whose face was hidden behind a mask. The rest of her was also disguised.

“Who are you?” asked Widow as she prepared for a fight.

“Name’s don’t matter now. What does matter is that you be warned. Jordan’s power grows with every passing night. His hunger grows. An informant of mine spied on him and he plans for his first victim to be you, Ms. Mace.”

“Who’s your informant?” asked Dylan.

“Saying her name would be a risk. But she did insist I say this. You have grown into a fine young boy. Your father would be proud.”

“How do you know Slice’s parents?!” Bonde said as she got in front of a bewildered Dylan.

“I don’t. My informant does.”

As she was about to leave, Dylan asked a question. “Wait! Who are you?”

“All you need to call me is Mare-Do-Well. The rest of the town does.” With that, Mare-Do-Well left.

“Do you know a mass sleep spell?” asked Bonde.

“Ok,” Dylan said as his horn began to shimmer into view.

“With luck they’ll think it was just a dream.”

“When they’re all-“ Widow said as a large, bright flash appeared. When they could see again, they realized they were in their inn room. “Never mind.”

“Did you do that?” Bonde asked Dylan.

“No, I did,” said a worn out Sadie.

“Well, did you teleport the others as well?”

“Yes, they’re all where they would normally pass out. And Dylan’s spell should hopefully last till tomorrow morning.”

“Let’s hope so. And, I know you’ll hate it Bonde, but I did shape everypony’s memories to point to them passing out when they reached home.”

“It’s all for the best I’m sure. Let’s get some rest ourselves; I’m sure we’ll need it.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, I don’t think that’s the best course of action! Weren’t you listening to Mare-Do-Well?” said Dylan.

“Weren’t you? ‘She’ somehow knew part of your past. And besides, if Jordan bites me, we have a healer.”

“And if that’s true, what if he kidnaps you?” asked Sadie.

“Then he’ll have another thing coming! I don’t know about you but I had a rough day! I was nearly over ran by fillies for Mara’s sake! Both before and during what was supposed to be a well rehearsed presentation! And I WILL NOT have the thought of a fucking bite frighten me from sleep! Now either shut the fuck up and go to sleep or get the hell out of this room!” Bonde exploded.

“Bonde…”

“Don’t you ‘Bonde’ me Widow! Where were you when Jordan striked! Certainly not helping, that’s for sure! If throwing ink hadn’t come to my mind, we’d be at Jordan’s mercy! As if a bite is supposed to kill me, a bite told to me by a complete STRANGER, you all are afraid of me getting some much needed rest!”

“Bonde…”

“Same thing to you Sadie!”

“But Mom’s…”

"Your mother’s dead! Accept it for what it is! She can’t save us! I will tell you all one last time! Shut the fuck up and go to sleep, get the hell out of this inn, or I will make you!”

Sadie and Widow, seeing the rage in Bonde’s eyes, walked out of the room and left the inn without a word. “I won’t accept that my mother’s dead, Bonde. You shouldn’t either,” Dylan said before he left the room.

“Now,” she said to herself, “Time… to… rest,” she said as the burden of exhaustion fell upon her.

Miles away, in Canterlot, a deep laugh is heard by none, as a statue locked in fear and shock begins to crack at the tip of its tail, for an unknown reason.

Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Ingreadents of a Cure

Rocks. A creation believed to be harmless things by many. However, a true creature of the world knows the dangers of them. Debra, having been the only survivor of the ship’s crash, looked at her reflection in the water. Now, however, it was much more different then she had ever seen. Not only was her ‘hair’ a mess, but she had holes all over her as well.

“Well, there’s a new form,” she said in congratulations to herself. “Now to see if I can get out of it and into an Argonian.” However, much to her dismay, she succeeded turning into only a pegasus. “Well I guess that’ll work,” she said as she looked to what was no doubt land. “Let’s hope that if the Gray Fox is here, I’ll be able to find him.”

And so, she took flight to the mysterious land, hopes that were small in her mind.

Jordan looked at the entrance of the inn as three ponies left it. ‘Now to have my supper,’ he thought as he chuckled to himself and transformed. As he entered the inn, he had not noticed the soft footsteps behind him. “Room 31 please. I lost my key,” he said to the pony to check in to.

“Name please.”

“White Phoenix,” answered Jordan.

“Here’s your key ma’am. Have a nice nap.”

“Will do,” he said with a fake yawn.

He walked up the stairs and down the hallway to the room where he knew Bonde to be. As he opened the door, Bonde was peacefully sleeping. “You were quite foolish to not believe Mare-Do-Well. She’ll learn the price of her interference soon enough either way.”

“I think not Jordan,” said a disguised pony.

“Well well well, speak of the hero. I suggest you not come any closer Mare-Do-Well.” Jordan said as he levitated a knife. “Not the weapon I’d prefer, but a weapon none the less.”

“So I take it that you don’t care if it’s what you’re stabbed with?” Bonde said. “Now, I suggest you show your true form.”

“Rash, I must admit. But I doubt you’d be able to tell whether I’m really Jordan or just a Jordan controlled doll.” That, unfortunately, made Bonde hesitate. “Wrong move,” Jordan said before, with lightning quick reflexes, he knocked Mare-Do-Well down and bit Bonde’s neck. After Jordan had enough blood to sustain himself for a few hours, he quickly teleported away.

“NO!” shouted Mare-Do-Well. “Don’t die on me Bonde, don’t you die now!” she said as she put a piece of cloth on Bonde’s neck. “Don’t do this to me!”

The last sight in Bonde’s mind was a golden fire.

“She’s not dead doctor!” argued Twilight.

“Then what is she miss Sparkle? If not dead, then what?”

“She’s…”

“A ZOMBIE!?” shouted Spike.

“No, worse. A vampire.”

“I beg to differ, but a vampire would be much colder, and would have the wound on a different part of the neck. Plus he only bit hard enough to penetrate a single blood vessel. Not to mention the time it takes for the venom to spread through the vasculatory system. Although, I must say, she is lucky with how long she has left,” said Mare-Do-Well.

“Have you seen this before?” asked the doctor.

“Far too many times. But she doesn’t have long to live. Or at least, as a regular pony. There’s a way to cure her, but it’s dangerous to gain the supplies needed.”

“And what are those?”

“To start, cloves of garlic. Three others are complicated to gather here though.”

“And just how complicated!?” yelled Dylan.

“Not too complicated now that Fire Blade’s here. But the final ingredients are still complicated none the less.

“Me?”

“Yes, for what you are inside. Is it not true you are the one who saved this young colt?”

Although the sentence is cryptic, it’s clear what the meaning is. Sadie was the one who saved Dylan, and Sadie was an Argonian.

“We already know what you’ll say for the next ingredient. Nightshade,” Dylan said.

“Nightshade?” Twilight repeated in question.

“It’s a common plant where these travelers are from. However, around here it is unique and near impossible to find it. That is unless you’re in Canterlot.”

“NO! You know the penalty of stealing!”

“That is, if your caught,” Rikku chirped in.

“No Slip! Whatever it is, it’s bound to lead to trouble!”

“And so is not getting it Slice. You know what Mace would say. Desperate times-”

“-Call for desperate measures?! And you’re not even going to try looking for one in the…”

“Don’t say it son. The name always leads to ill omen,” interrupted Mare-Do-Well.

“And a vampire bite doesn’t?! You don’t know how much Mace means to me!”

“That’s where your wrong son. On so many levels.”

“I’ll sooner fall to a rat then let Slip take the risk of the era!”

“Pardon, but I have a part in this conversation. If it saves Mace from the fate, then I’ll gladly die. But I won’t sit by while she is on the verge of death. Accept it Slice. My mind is made up. Besides, it’s what I do best.”

“But…”

“She’s a grown mare son. Let her make her own decision.”

“But… but… ughh, FINE! Don’t come crying to me when your on the run!”

“You’ll have to excuse him.”

“No worries. You get used to it after a while.”

“How do you know our story so much?”

“It’s my business to know. After all, it was thanks to you he got to Mace.”

“Your clearly not a pony,” Sadie said when both the doctor and Twilight left the room.

“Am I not a pegasus? Are you not a unicorn? Is Slip not a thief? Is Mace not a warrior? I figured after being with Bonde for so long, you’d know that covers mean nothing but extra protection.”

“Who are you?” Rikku asked.

“Your friendly savior Mare-Do-Well,” she said as she flew out the window.

“I’m honestly with Dylan on this one. It’s a risk when you don’t know the punishment.”

“Relax. Besides, it’s not like I’m new to the job.”

“But you are new here.”

“No worries. I just slip in, grab a flower, and slip out unseen all the way.”

“Like I just use magic, alter time, and walk away while an enemy’s trying to kill me.”

“You worry too much. Besides, it’s not like thieves are common here.”

“I hope your right. Just remember, grab the flower and leave.”

‘And remember, thieves are prone to greed,’ Jordan thought as he listened through the door, unseen with his dust. For together, they WILL be victorious. Alone, however, they are only common targets for the Brotherhood.

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

“Slice, just calm down, Slip’ll come back safe and sound.”

“That’s not what I’m worried bout Phoenix. I’m worried Jordan’ll try to tempt her somehow and cause everything to tumble down on us. Besides, he already nearly succeeded with Mace. Who’s to say he won’t fully achieve his goal?”

“Just stay here and enjoy tonight’s festivities. We might not get the chance to enjoy Nightmare Night again.”

“And leave Mace’s life on the line that depends on Slip’s resistance of greed? Are you crazy?”

“Trust Slip. She won’t let us down.”

“I won’t risk it Phoenix. I already risked too much!”

“Like what? Leaving when Mace’s rage overcame her sense? That isn’t a risk. It’s a precaution.”

“So is going with Slip.”

“That is an unnesacary precaution. If Slip is taken, she can easily pick the lock. She’ll be fine.”

“Fine. I’ll go on and stay Phoenix. But I won’t waste my time celebrating.”

“You’d better Slice. I won’t let you hear the end of it if you don’t.”

“End of what?”

“That you came here before. That you knew this,” Yuna said as she waved her hoof between Dylan and herself “would happen.”

Dylan thought, and at last decided to give in. “Fine. I’ll celebrate, but I won’t enjoy it.”

“Are you sure they’d be here?” asked Samiel.

“I’m not sure, but I know how we’ll find them.”

“And how is that supposed to be?”

“Tonight’s Nightmare Night, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Black’s literal at certain things, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Sooo… we’ll narrow our search tonight, and find out where they’re at by those wearing a vampire outfit, or werewolf outfit.”

“You do know this would be considered as a gamble, right Pounce?”

“Don’t remind me. This is the last thing I can think of though Silver. What else is there for us to do?”

“I just remembered! I listened to conversations on the train while you ‘cat napped’. Some of them said that Luna at one time was Nightmare Moon, a greatly feared pony. Others claimed that she may kill them, because she is basically like an omen teller. If she passes by and ignores them, they’ll be safe. If she doesn’t… well, you get the idea.”

“So your saying that those that aren’t afraid of Luna, may be Dylan and the rest?”

“Bingo! And if we combine that information with what everypony’s wearing, then we’ll find them in a snap!”

“It’s still a gamble, but it’s worth it!”

“A mage outfit? Really Widow?”

“A powerful mage. Much like yourself!”

“Who is it even supposed to be for one?”

“Don’t remember. Said something like Swirlybeard I think.”

“You expect me to wear an outfit that I know nothing of?”

“Yeah!”

“Well I’m sorry to disappoint you. Besides, I spoke to Rarity a few weeks ago and she managed to make an outfit that I personally think looks great! And she even agreed! Want to see it?”

“Sure. I wanna see how ridiculous you look in it!” Widow’s hopes, however, were quickly smashed when she saw just how Sadie looked in the outfit. “You… look surprising?”

“What’s the matter? Kajiit got your tongue?” Sadie said through the mask. What he didn’t tell Widow was that he had made the armor himself, and the mask was the only thing Rarity made.

“No… it’s just not everyday you see a pony with an outfit appearing as a dremora.”

Sadie laughed. “It’s not really everyday we’re ponies.”

“How’d Rarity make the armor? I thought she was just a dressmaker.”

“I made the armor. And it’s really just shaped and painted iron. Add a bit of magic and it’s as heavy as your run of the mill outfit.”

“By run of the mill, does that mean in normal society or between our little group?”

“Haha, very funny Widow. So, what’re you wearing?”

“I found an outfit that, from what I hear, comes from a legend of an archer.”

“What’s it look like?”

“I honestly made sure it was made into black, and here it is!” Widow said as she pulled out her outfit.

“Wow Widow! You look great in it. Does it come with a bow?”

“No, but that didn’t stop me from making one!” she said as she pulled a small wooden bow out of her bags.

“I won’t let Jordan get away with this Mace,” Naranel said.

“No, do not let your anger take over Shock. You know what will happen.”

“Look at yourself, Mace! He needs to pay for this!”

“And he will. He always has. How will this be any different?”

“If Slip doesn’t succeed, think of what could happen! He needs to pay for it!”

“No, Shock. He will not succeed, and he will pay for this in time. When the deities deem it time for our revenge, then we will have it.”

“You know I don’t-”

“Believe in the Nine. I know. But if they are not real, then something had to have made this world and its inhabitants. That is why I say deities.”

“You speak as if you know everything.”

“Everything? None know everything but the deities. I know much, but I also use reason. And when neither are in play, then I assume. Not all is known by mortals, that is why we work with eachother.”

“Not all know how to reason and work together, Mace. Jordan for instance, he kills those who do not agree with him.”

“Were you not the same, before the war? You learnt, and… he can… as well,” Bonde said as sleeping pills began to overtake her.

“Good night, Mace.”

“Are you sure about this, Slip?” Lulu asked.

“Not really, but it’s our best chance. Besides, I’m the greatest thief after all.”

“In Tamriel, but here they might be greater at defending.”

“If so, I’ll step up my game. Besides, all I’m after is a common flower.”

“Where we’re from. Here it’s rare Slip.”

“Don’t you remember how easy it was for me to steal a flawless diamond from the White-Gold tower? It’ll be a piece ‘a cake!”

“You were almost caught though Slip! Are you really this insane!?”

“Sometimes insanity helps, for sanity only brings fear.”

“Listen Slip, don’t take your mind off the Nightshade. That’s all your after. Understand?”

“You worry too much Fire! I won’t let my mind wander from the flower,” Quickslip said as Dark Fire began to teleport her.

“I’ll only be able to send you to the Canterlot square, after that, you’re on your own.”

“Excuse me, but could you by any chance tell me where the inn is? I’ve been flying for hours now and I need some rest,” Debra asked a white unicorn stallion.

“Why of course my dear, just follow me and I’ll take you there.”

“Directions are good enough.”

“You don’t understand ma’am, but I’m afraid travelling alone would be a grave mistake. You see, there have been reports of unknown assaults recently and rumors floating around that the assailant is a cannibal.”

“If the rumors are true, I’ll handle myself. All I’m asking for are directions.”

“Very well. I’ll tell you the fastest route possible, unlikely for anything to be there. Down this here alley is a ladder at the end of it. Go up that ladder, turn right, and continue that direction to the end of the building. There you will find another ladder. Go down it, and turn left. At the exit of the alley, you’ll see the inn’s back door. All you need to do then is walk around the building to the front since the back is usually locked.”

“Thank you…”

“Frostbite, my lady. My name is Frostbite.”

So, following his advice, Debra went up the ladder at the back of the alley and down the other. However, when she was about to leave the back alley, she noticed a pony at the exit.

“Who are you!” she shouted to the figure as it began to walk towards her.

“You should not have followed his advice,” said the figure as it walked closer.

“I’m warning you! I’m adept in all magic’s!”

“Not a pony I presume. Either way, your about to lose enough blood to kill a minotaur.”

“Get back!” Suddenly, the figure lunged, biting into Debra’s neck. And before she knew, she was on the ground, unable to see or hear anything but her beating heart and ragged breaths.

As Jordan attempted to leave the alley, however, he was quickly stopped in his sights as he heard the annoyingly familiar voice. “Just where do you think you’re going Jordan.”

“Please my dear, must I ask politely to know who you are?” he asked the figure portrayed as ‘Mare-Do-Well.

“You don’t deserve to even hear my voice you blasted son of a bitch! You’ll regret ever coming to Equestria, even if my magics are unavailable.”

Suddenly, Jordan understood just who the ‘pony’ was. “I thought you were long dead. Either way, it’ll mean a lot to know just how you died. This very night, I will finally know you have been killed by MY hand, and not by the bite of a mindless animal.”

“You greatly overestimate your chances, monster,” said Tigger as she lunged towards Jordan.

Jordan quickly dodged the predictable attack as he began to envelope himself in a set of bound armor, changing necessary details to make it fit his current situation. “I believe you are quite overconfident in yourself my dear. You will not stop me from succeeding my dark lord’s wish,” he said as he felt his hooves become enveloped by the familiar metal.

“You’ll have to go through me first,” she said as they charged toward each other.

Rikku snuck through the silent allies of Canterlot, ears and eyes alert for any source of movement. When she saw a guard slowly approaching, she dipped the tip of her blade into the green liquid strapped to her left front hoof and waited for the right moment to strike. As he neared, she cut him just enough to send the sleep poison into his blood system, and ran to the scent of flowers. However, she cursed at her luck and novice ways when just evading an arrow.

“Intruder in the Gardens!” shouted an ominous voice.

“Stop her!” Rikku quickly ran as she avoided getting shot by arrows. When she saw a tree trunk with a hole big enough to hide in, she quickly snuck into it with hopes of not being seen.

“Where’d she go!?” shouted a voice that came from a figure atop the garden walls.

“We’re looking for her captain!” shouted a voice that rushed past the tree. Suddenly she heard the flap of pegasus wings land near the tree.

“Where’s the intruder Captain?”

“My men are looking for her as hard as they can. She couldn’t have gone far.”

Rikku’s face cringed in fear as she felt a tickle enter her nose. ‘NO! Not now!’ Rikku thought as she fought the sneeze that was about to overtake her.

“If she escaped-”

“Ach-oo!” Knowing she had been discovered, she quickly got out of the tree and flew for the flowers known as Nightshade. Just as the flowers were in reach, she felt a pain enter her back right leg. She quickly grabbed them in her hoof and flew to the North, just as she felt something cut her left wing. Knowing it was useless to battle for control, she angled herself towards the tops of trees in the distance, in hopes of escaping the barrage of arrows. But alas, wounded wings could only fly so far before they collapsed under the fight against gravity. In fear of failing her friends, she prayed to the Nine to forgive her for the many sins of thievery she had committed, and asked for only a cure to be taken to her dying friend.

Jordan kneeled on his front legs, the battle beginning to take its toll. He had wounded Tigger to where there were only shreds left of the clothes, and to where her face was shown. Blood was trickling from her legs and mouth, only her eyes were not tainted by the violence. However, she had given many wounds as well, nearly maiming his throat. Unwilling to find who the better of the two were, Jordan took his chance, and fled from the alley, leaving a crippled pegasus to tend to the dying pony.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Boiling Poison of Trouble

Jordan snarled at the passing guard who tempted him to break lose, but he had received this treatment before as a child, this was no different. He COULD easily break the gate, but for what? To be killed by the hundreds of guards waiting to kill him? He was weaponless and had only rags for clothes, and they were prepared for an army at all times. He was bored, not suicidal.

He waited, for Sithis rewarded the patient. He felt himself lose conciseness as he entered a corner of the Void…

“At last I meet my most unique Listener,” said a dark voice that seemed to come from everywhere at once.

“Father!” Jordan said as he quickly made an awkward bow.

“There is no need for formalities my son. Now please, stand and listen,” said Sithis.

“Have I been assassinated?” asked Jordan, with hints of both pleasure and fear in his voice.

“No, you are still alive,” said Sithis, annoyed at the question. “Now listen, you will have a portal in your cell to your supplies. Do what you can to escape and follow your brothers to the south. You will be transformed into a unicorn as your brothers have. Find them and attempt to assassinate them with absolute subtlety. If you fail, fear not, for you and them will have an intertwined destiny to stop evils soon to awaken.”

“It will all unwind soon enough my child. Now go, and I shall watch over you.”

Jordan awoke and saw a portal in the room. He smiled to himself and walked to it.

‘This will be entertaining,’ he thought to himself.

Wow, I didn’t plan on THIS element in my story, but it works. Hope you like and like I said, if you have any ideas on how to make this story entertaining just let me know and I will consider and most likely add the element to it. Keep peace goin!